Karen Olivo Set to Direct FUGITIVE SONGS at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Tony winner Karen Olivo, who in 2013 decided to leave her New York City life behind for a new start in Wisconsin, is set to make her directorial debut with University of Wisconsin-Madison's University Theatre production of Fugitive Songs. The actress, who lent her voice to a recording of the show in 2012, currently teaches song interpretation at the school.

The production is set to run July 16-26 at the Mitchell Theatre (821 University Avenue). Tickets are $16-23. For tickets and information, call 608-265-2787 or visit: www.theatre.wisc.edu.

Award-winning songwriters, Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen's Fugitive Songs is a 19-song journey across America, featuring a multi-ethnic ensemble (3 men, 3 women) between the ages of 20 and 40. This innovative song cycle, conceived as half-musical/half-hootenanny, spotlights people on the run: a disgruntled Subway sandwich employee, a jilted ex-cheerleader, a pair of Patty Hearst fanatics, a stoner forced to rob a convenience store against his will, and many others.

Blending traditional folk music with contemporary pop and gospel, Fugitive Songs offers a new sound for a restless America. This ecclectic score provides exceptional material for a wide range of experienced singers, and delivers poignant and thought-provoking lyrics that capture each character's "reasons to run."

On her new life in Wisconsin, Olivo told BroadwayWorld: "I definitely feel like jumping off of the treadmill, taking a look around, and realizing that I could take control of my life artistically has given me something that I didn't have before. I do think that stepping away and not being in the center of entertainment the way that New York makes you operate has re-inspired me. The joy is really there. Also, trying to work on content has given me a different perspective."CLICK HERE to read BroadwayWorld's recent interview with Olivo.

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